Come Home for Christmas
by sylenctone
Summary: When Heero is unexpectedly detained, Duo finds himself alone on Christmas Eve. Implied yaoi, holiday fluff


**Come Home for Christmas**

**Disclaimer:** Gundam Wing is owned by people who are not me. I only kidnap the characters, play with them like puppets, and return them only a little bruised.

**Warnings:** 1x2x1, 5xS, holiday fluff

**Author's Note:** I blame this one on Irishfae also. She bullies me into writing these holiday things and then somehow they never end up being what I start out to write! Thanks for kicking my butt again lady!

**Christmas Eve, 6pm:**

Duo pokes at his microwaveable turkey dinner. The so-called food in the plastic tray holds no interest to him. After fifteen minutes of playing with it, he realizes the 'food' is now stone cold. Sighing, he throws the whole tray in the fridge. He just can't throw good food away. When it starts growing in a few days, then he'll chuck it. If Heero were here…

He sighs again and pads out to the cheerfully decorated living room. A small artificial Christmas tree twinkles in the window and garland is draped over the tiny fireplace. Two stockings hang from reindeer shaped hooks on either side of the mantle. Outside, a group of children sing Christmas carols and skip down the street, still bare of snow.

"No one should be alone on Christmas," Duo grumbles. The empty apartment gives no response.

**Two days earlier:**

Heero's handsome face looked very weary, even in the grainy vid-phone. "The idiots are sitting in there, hoping we'll give up and go away. Unfortunately, Wufei's informant claims they are well supplied for a siege. At least several days, if not a full week. If it weren't for those damned hostages…" He frowned and shook his head.

Duo's face fell. "So you won't be home for Christmas." It was not a question.

Heero shook his head, "Possibly by New Year's but… I'm sorry Duo."

Duo bit his lip. "I understand, love. I'd just go there instead but…"

"You're needed on Relena's security detail for the Remembrance Ceremony on Christmas Day. I don't trust anyone else to spot the crazies before they get too close." Heero's stern face softened minutely. "I don't like it either. I'll call you on Christmas Eve."

"Promise? No matter how late?"

Heero smiled a little "I promise. I have to go now. I love you Duo."

"Love you too Hee-chan. Stay safe."

The screen blanked out and Duo sighed.

**Midnight on Christmas Eve:**

It is dark in the apartment. The end of "A Christmas Story" flickers, muted, on the television. A lumpy form is stretched out on the sofa completely covered in a large fleece blanket except for a long chestnut braid that snakes to the floor and a pale hand resting next to a phone on the arm of the couch. For a moment, everything is still.

The phone rings.

The figure on the couch springs up quickly.

"Heero!"

"Merry Christmas Duo. I miss you."

"Merry Christmas Heero! I wish you were here!"

"Me too. Is it snowing there?"

"No."

"Did you even get up and look?"

"…" Duo untangles himself from the large fluffy blanket and obediently stumbles to the window. It is, indeed, snowing and has been for at least an hour. It covers everything in a glistening blanket of white. Everything, except a man standing on the sidewalk, talking on a cell phone.

Within seconds, Duo is out the door and standing barefoot and coatless in three inches of snow, arms wrapping tightly around his lover. When they come up for air, Duo asks, "How'd you make it back in time?"

"Their hostages escaped."

Duo raises an eyebrow.

"They may have had help."

Duo chuckles. As he slips from Heero's embrace, he finally notices what his partner is wearing. Over a uniform that has clearly seen better days, winds a bright red velvet ribbon. It wraps around Heero's ribs, twists in the middle of his back, then wraps over his left shoulder and between his legs, ending in a limp, and now rather rumpled bow on his chest.

Duo looks him over in confusion and tugs at one crushed loop of bow. "Uh, Heero?"

His beribboned lover smirks. "Aren't you going to unwrap your present?" His chuckle is cut off by a gasp as he is forcibly dragged across the lawn and into their apartment.

The street is quiet until dawn.

The apartment is not.

**Christmas Day:**

A morning news program plays on a television in a different apartment, not far from the first.

"In a strange side note to the Remembrance Ceremony, groundskeepers for the Sanc capital building reported this morning that someone stole a red velvet ribbon off of one of the railings in front of the building. Nothing was seen by any of the surveillance equipment or by any of the security personnel. Nothing else was stolen or vandalized. When asked about the obvious breech in security, Duo Maxwell, Head of Security for the Remembrance Ceremony today had this to say"

The screen flickers from the view of the reporter at the news desk to one of Duo in a very smart looking uniform. He smiles at the camera and makes a statement into the many microphones shoved in his face. "Ladies and gentleman, please. There is nothing to worry about. I have already personally interviewed the person responsible for this little prank and have seen to it that that person has gotten exactly what they deserve. The surveillance system will be undergoing thorough analysis by Agent Yuy and myself. Merry Christmas!"

The screen blinks back to the reporter who moves on to the next story. Her words are drowned out by Chang Wufei's hysterical laughter. It is several minutes before he calms enough to explain himself to Sally, who seems concerned about her husband's sanity.

**A/N #2:** I blame Irishfae for the 'unwrapping' nonsense also. Read her "Saga of Evil Santa" and you'll understand.


End file.
